Black Moon
by BloodRansom
Summary: Mikayla is a vampire with a long past. She hears rumors of the Cullen's face-off with the Volturi and goes to check it out, and finds a life she never dreamed of. *Takes place after Breaking Dawn*
1. Meeting the Cullens

**A/N This is my very first fanfiction! I hope everyone likes it! It's from the POV of a vampire who isn't in the Twilight Saga. I'm going to write the next chapter soon...as soon as I can come up with some good ideas for the next part. I have a fairly good idea of where this is going, but maybe you guys can help me come up with filler? That would be awesome!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight, even though I would really like to.**

**(Should I make a funny story-thing for my disclaimer, like some authors do? Let me know!)**

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My name is Mikayla Hemmingway. Don't laugh. I'm dead serious. Technically, I'm seventeen years old. Technically. In reality — well, I'll tell you later. I'm not extremely tall — only five foot five, but I'm lanky and look taller than I am. I have long black hair, very layered and feathered. People would call my style "scene" nowadays. My skin is alabaster white and very clear. I have no issues with acne or any other skin problem, but it tends to be cold, like I have bad circulation.

As for friends, I have a few, but not many. There are several people that are important to me, but classifying them as friends is not quite accurate.

You may be wondering why I don't have a social life. Well, it's because I tend not to fit in well. I believe I scare people, or make them uncomfortable. Personally, I find making people uncomfortable more entertaining than becoming friends. Not that friendship is a bad thing, but it always ends in pain. People are inherently cruel. There's no way around it. Everywhere you go, someone has been hurt by someone else. It drives me crazy. People in general drive me crazy. Humans, for the most part, but all people, really. Humans have an inborn talent to damage and destroy each other. It really is annoying to me.

Well, anyway, now that you know how I stand on certain subjects, I'll start with my story.

I stared through the dark night at the people walking along the street. I snarled under my breath and flicked my eyes down the road. No one. It would be safe. I considered for a split second, and then pounced. They never stood a chance. The tall woman screamed, but her cry was cut off as her life ended. The other two were easily disposed of as well. I finished the job, and then made it look like any other homicide. Prostitutes were rarely missed. I didn't feel any remorse.

I left the scene and took off at top speed in a random direction. I didn't really care where I ended up. My life was governed by fleeting whims. I pushed to my maximum speed and kept running for a while. I stopped after a while and looked around. I stood, poised, ready for anything hostile. After a moment, I decided that it was safe and really took in the details of my surroundings. I was in the northwest, I was sure of that. Possibly Washington or Oregon. I sniffed the air. The pungent scent of pine filled my nostrils. The weather was cool and damp, but that made no difference to me. I really had no preference of weather, but I tried to avoid human contact when it was sunny.

I considered what I was going to do for a little while. I decided to look around a little. It seemed to be a nice area. There might be some of my kind in the area. I took off again, but at a much slower pace.

I was fairly sure I was in northern Oregon. I had heard of some people similar to me up north in Washington…I should look for them. I had heard that they had even challenged the authorities. This called for some investigation. I was curious about who would try that.

I sprinted north when I realized I might meet these people. The tree braches smacked me across the face, but didn't sting. I kept running, and enjoyed the wind in my long hair. I felt free.

I was sure I was in Washington…it smelled different. No to a human, most likely, but my nose is especially sensitive. It smelled good, especially compared to the city fumes I had been smelling recently.

I was extremely curious about these people I had heard about…not anything concrete, just rumors…but they sounded intriguing. I had always been one to explore interesting things, whether they had any truth to them or not. This one sounded almost too fantastic for words, but I had heard it from several friends and acquaintances. Not all of them were reliable, but I still wanted to check it out, especially because I was in the area.

I wasn't sure where they were. I would have to look around a bit to find them. I sniffed the air. _Hmm. What a weird smell. Like a wet dog, just stronger._ I wrinkled my nose in distaste. _Yuck. What the heck is that?_ I had come to a complete stop by now, disgusted by the odd scent. I hadn't smelled this before, and I've been around. I continued, slightly more cautious than before. I wasn't sure what the smell was, but I wasn't taking any chances.

After a while, the smell grew stronger, and there was a sound behind me. I spun quickly and faced a huge black wolf. I hissed, my lips pulling back over my teeth. The wolf growled and I saw two more stalk up behind him. I settled into a slightly more defensive position. Something about these large animals seemed dangerous, even to one like me. The lead one crouched. I tensed myself, ready either to run or attack, depending on the next few moments. Suddenly, a human walked up from behind the black wolf. He was clothed in only a pair of denim shorts. He had dark hair that was cropped short, and a darker complexion, obviously a Native American.

He held up both hands, as if in surrender. I was surprised to realize he had the same scent as the wolves. It was not an appetizing smell. He really didn't have to be worried. I straightened up slightly.

"We just wanted to let you know that you are on treaty land. This is our territory, and I suggest you make for the vampire territory as quickly as possible. We do not appreciate hunting on our land."

I laughed. This was rather funny, actually. "I was headed there. Could you point me in the direction?" I asked smoothly. The wolves and the human flinched at the sound of my voice. I found this reaction entertaining and smiled slightly. The human flinched slightly. I couldn't be sure of his age, he seemed too young to be a man, but was too tall and broad to be a boy. He pointed away from himself and nodded his head in that direction as well. "The Cullens are in that direction. You know them?"

I shook my head. "I've heard…things…about them. But, no, I have never had the pleasure of meeting them."

I heard one of the wolves snort, but ignored it. "Well, alright. Thank you for directing me." I took off in a run in the direction he had pointed. So they did exist. I was fairly sure they were the ones I had heard about…I had heard whispers of the wolves as well. I had been curious about them as well…but now I was finally going to meet the fabled Cullens. I slowed as I reached the obvious edge of the territory. There was a lack of wolf scent tainting the air, though it lingered in my nostrils. I walked along, following a trail left here by heavy use. It led for a few miles, and then I walked into a clearing.

There was a large white house. It smelled very normal, except for a hint of wolf. I wrinkled my nose again slightly and then decided to hold my breath. I walked to the house. I felt a barrage of new senses reach me. _Hmm. Interesting._

Suddenly I heard something inside my head. _A visitor? We weren't expecting company._

I smiled. This would be fun. _Haha, so you weren't expecting company? Am I intruding?_ I felt the other person's shock as he read my thoughts. _Surprised?_

_Extremely._

I walked up to the door and tapped it lightly with my knuckles. It opened almost before I could draw my hand away. A tall boy held it open, looking at me through golden eyes. He appeared to be about 18 or 19 years old. His blonde hair was slightly wavy. _Interesting,_ I thought as his abilities came to my attention. I was aware of other people in the house, but ignored them for the moment.

"Hello," the boy said after a moment. He looked at me quizzically through golden eyes. In his mind, I heard his thoughts. _Who is this girl? I've never seen her before in my life…hmm._

I smiled. "I am Mikayla Hemmingway. I'm guessing you are one of the Cullens?" I voiced my thoughts as a question.

He inclined his head in affirmative. "I will get Carlisle. You probably want to talk to him."

A blonde man came to the door at that moment. He smiled when he saw me, though I had never met him before. I ignored the voice of the other person who obviously could read minds, though I noticed that he was very confused at my abilities.

"Hello, I am Carlisle Cullen. You have heard of my family?"

"Through the grapevine," I said, dismissively waving my hand. "But, yes, I have…and the things I've heard are _very_ interesting…would I be able to convince you to expand on the rumors?"

He smiled brightly. "Of course! Come inside." He opened the door for me to enter. I followed him inside, and looked around the bright, sunny interior of the house. Then I turned my focus to the people in the room I was entering. They all turned their golden eyes to me as I walked in. It was almost eerie…gold is a weird color for eyes.

I heard the one with the mind reading laugh in my head when I thought about this. I smiled slightly. This was going to be fun.

Carlisle turned to me and smiled again. He sure was a happy guy. "This is Esme, my wife," he said, as a beautiful woman walked up to him. She had long, flowy, dark gold hair and a heart-shaped face. Carlisle turned slightly and pointed to a large guy who was sitting on the couch, and the girl sitting with him. "These are Emmett and Rosalie." Emmett grinned at me and Rosalie smiled. Emmett looked like a fun guy. Rosalie was gorgeous; there was no other way to describe her. Her blonde hair was wavy and shimmery. Carlisle pointed at the boy who had opened the door. "This is Jasper." Then he turned to the stairway. "Alice is up there. And Bella, Edward, and Nessie are in the other room."

I smiled at the people he had introduced me to. Then the other person, who I was sure now was Edward, told me, _We'll be right out. I'm curious about you._ I turned as a noise came from another room. Edward, or so I assumed came out, followed by a girl and a young teenager. I stiffened at the sight of the younger girl. I heard Edward's thoughts and realized what she was. Esme touched my arm and led me to the couch where Emmett and Rosalie sat.

She smiled at me and then proceeded to explain. "You see, Bella and Edward fell in love while Bella was a human. It was a very interesting time, and we won't go into detail on that at this moment, but after they got married, Bella got pregnant. She couldn't survive the birth human, so Edward changed her. Renesmee, the baby, grew at an exceptional rate. She's only a few years old." My eyes widened as Esme explained this, and Carlisle expanded on what she had said.

"I've never heard of a human crossing with one of our kind…" I was almost speechless. "And this is the reason for the rumors?"

Edward shook his head. "No, the reason for the rumors is what happened afterward. The Volturi learned of her and thought they needed to extinguish an immortal child. Little did they know at the time that she does mature and grow, far more quickly than a human, even. That just needed to be clarified with the Volturi."

"Edward isn't even telling half the story. It was so great! Only downside is, there was no fighting," Emmett said. Rosalie smacked his arm. "It's true!" he complained. She rolled her eyes.

Carlisle then proceeded to explain exactly what had happened, starting with how Irina, a friend of the Cullens, had betrayed them to the Volturi. It was a fascinating story and cleared up many of the rumors I had heard. Edward was staring ay me through most of the story, obviously trying to figure me out. He was seriously confused that I could hear him.

After the story, he looked at me. "Mikayla."

"Yes?" I wondered.

"Tell me…why can you read me?" He looked puzzled. It was quite entertaining.

I laughed. "Well, you could say I have a very special ability." Everyone in the room looked at me curiously. This would be fun. "I know what each of you can do. Jasper." I looked in his eyes as he gazed back at me. "You control emotions. Useful tool." I looked over at Bella. "You are a shield. Very interesting…" I looked over at Alice, who had entered the room while Carlisle was explaining. "You see the future. Fascinating." Then I looked at Edward. "And you can read minds. So you are the only one who has a basic idea of what I can do."

Carlisle cocked his head. "You can tell what abilities people have? It's an ability similar to Eleazar's then…" Edward was shaking his head. "No? Then how does it work?" Carlisle asked.

I smiled. "Edward? Would you like to venture a guess?" Everyone looked at him.

His eyebrows furled. "As far as I can see, it's an ability to mirror the abilities of those around you…like with me, you could read my thoughts." Bella gasped.

I smiled. "Not quite…though you're very close. I am what you could call a leech. I can read everyone's thoughts in this room, except for Bella's. I'm using your ability, Edward. I can also use Jasper's ability to control emotions. I can use Alice's future-sight as well. I could use Bella's shield, but I'm choosing not to at this moment."

It was Carlisle's turn to gasp. "I've never heard of an ability like that. Amazing!"

I laughed. "Yes, I've heard that before." I quickly changed the subject. This was not something I wanted to talk about with Edward listening in on. He was confused, but didn't say anything, mentally or physically.

"You have golden eyes." I said it as a statement, but was looking for an answer.

Carlisle nodded. "We don't feed on humans. You probably think our choice is strange, but it's how we live."

"Animals, then?" I raised an eyebrow.

He nodded again. "Yes."

"How do they…taste?"

"Not as bad as you might think. It takes some time to get used to, but I've never tasted human blood, so there's no comparison for me."

I made a face. "Well, I've never even considered animal blood as an alterative, so I haven't tasted it. Maybe I will sometime…just to see."

Emmett jumped into the conversation. "So how long you planning on staying here? Cause you could come hunting with us sometime."

"I didn't have a plan. I happened to be on this side of the country and I wanted to find out if the rumors were true. Apparently they are."

Bella laughed. "Yeah, they're definitely true."

Carlisle smiled. "You're very welcome to stay with us for a while."

"Thank you. I actually didn't have any plans, so if I'm invited…" At Carlisle's nod, I continued. "I'd love to stay for a while."

"Awesome!" yelled Emmett. I ducked, but then straightened when I realized it was only him. He laughed at me, and if I could have, I would have blushed. Jasper grinned when he felt my embarrassment. I smiled back, thinking that staying with the Cullens would be a lot of fun. They seemed like very cool people.

I turned my attention to Renesmee then, as she walked up to me. I registered Edward's thoughts as he noticed what she was doing. The great thing about being a leech, was that I could use the abilities of those around me on everyone else. She came up to me and smiled a very pretty smile. "So you're Mikayla?" I nodded. "I'm Nessie. Can I show you something?" I nodded again. She put her hand against my cheek and I flinched slightly as her thoughts entered my head. I had never experienced something like this before. She told me through her thoughts about everything that has taken place since she had been born. _A werewolf had imprinted on this girl? This family definitely had some crazy stuff going on._

Edward laughed. "Yes, we do." Bella looked at him curiously. He smiled at her and gestured toward me. In the brief moment that he looked at her, I saw so much love in his eyes that I had to look away. They obviously loved each other very much.

Renesmee took my hand. "Come with me! I can show you around!" I smiled and followed the girl. It was amazing that she looked fifteen years old. The idea that she was in reality only a few years old boggled my mind. She led me outside to show me the area. "See, over that river is where I live with my mom and dad. We have a little cottage. It's really nice." I smiled. Nessie was nice. She looked at me. "How long are you planning on staying with us? You seem like a really nice person."

I smiled at her. "Thanks. So do you! I'm not really sure how long I want to stay…I haven't really thought about it much. I never really plan things out. I just do them."

She nodded. "Yeah. It must be great to have that kind of freedom."

I shrugged. "Yeah, but it gets old if there's nothing to do, you know? Oh well. Maybe if it's okay with Carlisle, I'll stay here for a while."

Nessie grinned. "That would be so cool! You could come to high school with me!" She clapped her hands together in excitement. Okay, maybe I could see that she was pretty young.

I laughed. "High school. Oh joy. Well, I haven't been to a modern school before…"

"It would be so awesome!" She grinned widely. "And Alice could take us shopping and we can be like sisters!"

"There's just one problem that I can see though," I warned. She looked at me questioningly, raising her eyebrows. "I don't feed the same way you do. My eyes are definitely going to stick out."

She nodded. "True. But then you can just hunt animals like the rest of us!'

"It's not that simple. I've been feeding like this for a long, long time." I shrugged again. "But what can I do?" I said this rhetorically, but Nessie thought it demanded an answer.

"You can change! Jasper did." She smiled encouragingly. Man, this girl was always happy, wasn't she? I smiled back at her.

"It's hard for him, though, isn't it?" I asked quietly. She nodded, becoming serious.

"Yeah, but he does it. I think he mainly does it for Alice, but I don't think he minds. He likes being a Cullen, or a Hale, technically."

I nodded. "But he's had a few years to get used to it. I'm not quite sure how I would take to it."

She nodded again. Very agreeable girl.

**Review please!!! Tell me what you think: love it, like it, abhor it...and then tell me why!!! Also, ideas are definitely appreciated!!**


	2. Shopping Trip!

**A/N Okay, here's the second chapter! I just had to put some funny stuff in...give it some comic relief at the end. I changed POVs a bit too.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight. I own Mikayla, but I don't own any of the other characters, sadly.**

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After a while with Renesmee, we went back to the big white house. Alice met us at the door. She skipped over and smiled at me. Man, what was it with this cheerful family? I had never met vampires that were so incessantly happy. It was almost annoying.

I smiled back at her, not wanting to seem rude. I wasn't sure what it was that bugged me about it, but it just did. I walked into the house behind the two girls. Carlisle was standing there, and he smiled too. I smiled back. _Grrr. This is almost annoying._ Edward was standing behind Carlisle and he smirked. _What?_ I demanded mentally. He just smirked even more.

_Oh, just your reaction to friendliness. I find it amusing._ I gritted my teeth. I wasn't extremely used to being messed with. _Oh, I'm not messing with you. I just find it amusing._ I glared at him.

Carlisle watched the silent exchange in amusement. I smoothed my face into a more civil expression, rather than the glare that was on my features. "Well, what would you like to do?" he asked me.

I shrugged. "What do you guys do around here?"

Alice's face lit up. "We could go shopping!" She jumped into the air, clapping her hands. I could see in her mind that we would end up going, so there was no point in arguing. Besides, I liked shopping. I could tell from Bella's face, that she did not.

_Not at all,_ Edward confirmed. _It'll be good for you to go with Alice; she never leaves Bella alone._

I turned to Alice and grinned. "That sounds awesome. I haven't been shopping in a while." A thought occurred to me. "Because I don't exactly have much money."

She shrugged her tiny shoulders. "We've got plenty. Don't worry about it."

I raised my eyebrows at her. "Really?"  
She nodded quickly. "Yeah, definitely. Okay, let's go!" She practically skipped away. I followed her to the garage. She walked to a canary-yellow Porsche 911 Turbo, opened the door, and climbed in. I followed suit, getting into the passenger side. It was a really nice car. I sniffed. Leather had a nice smell, and the interior was all leather. Obviously very good quality, too. Alice glanced at me. "Like it?"

I nodded. "It's beautiful."

She grinned. "Yeah, I drove one in Italy, and then I had to have one. It's an awesome car. Real fast."

"I bet." I looked it over appreciatively. It really was a beauty. I loved fast cars, but had never bought one, mostly because I liked running places, and I really had no need for one. I had never really tried to seem human.

She started the car, backed out of the garage, and then took off down the drive. It really did ride nice. I grinned. "I love this car!"

Alice grinned too. "I know! It's awesome!" She floored the gas and we sped up even more. If I had been a human, I probably would have peed myself. We were moving over one hundred twenty-five miles per hour. Alice kept up a constant chatter the whole time, but to my surprise, it didn't bother me too much.

We got to the mall in Seattle in record time. I gazed at the mall. I hadn't been to one in a while. I was very glad I had gorged myself the night before. I didn't want to kill anyone here. I doubted Alice, or any of the humans would appreciate that.

"Okay," Alice said, looking at me. "Where to first?"

I thought for am fraction of a second before answering. "Hot Topic." She grinned in response.

"Sounds good!" We took off at a brisk pace…well, a brisk pace by human standards. In my opinion, it was extremely slow. We got to Hot Topic and then our shopping day began.

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**Renesmee's POV**

Mikayla was so cool! I really wanted her to stay with us. She and I could go to High School together, and we could be like best friends! I walked over to my uncle Emmett. "What do you think of Mikayla?" I asked him.

He grinned. "I think she's pretty cool. Why?"  
"I want her to stay here with us. And come to High School with me. I think she's awesome!"

Rosalie smiled at me. "She is pretty cool. Well, maybe you can convince her. I'm sure Carlisle would be okay with it." I nodded enthusiastically.

"I'll go ask him!" I took off in the direction I knew he was. "Carlisle! Carlisle!"

"Yes, Nessie?" he asked.

"Do you think…if I was able to convince her…do you think she could stay with us? Like, to live with us?"

His face turned thoughtful. "I think, if you could convince her to change her diet, and to live as one of us, that would be a definite possibility. I think changing her diet would probably be the hardest part, but I think the difference in lifestyles is a fairly drastic step, too. She seems to have been a roamer for the most part. I would like to hear her story." He looked thoughtful.

I nodded. "Yeah, I guess I can see what you would mean." I wasn't sure how hard it could be, but I wasn't a full vampire, so I had hardly any idea of their struggle with themselves.

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Mikayla's POV**

After depleting the reservoirs of clothing in the mall, we loaded our purchases into the Porsche. My favorite newly acquired outfit consisted of a pair of red leopard print skinny jeans and black Thousand Foot Krutch band shirt. Of course, I had bought quite a few new articles of clothing. Most of it was black. I had always liked black, even before it had become a trend. I had been through so many trends. I always wore a lot of black, so as to avoid fashion disasters. It was far more likely that someone would look terrible in bright colors than black. I was aware of Alice's dislike for my usual color preference, but I really didn't care. Black was safe for me. I rarely considered my circumstances _safe,_ so I figured I could allow myself some sort of security.

We drove back to the house quickly, but we were both silent, lost in thought. Or at least I was. I couldn't read Alice's thoughts now, because Edward wasn't around. His ability sure was useful. Reminded me of someone else I knew…_not right now. Don't go there, or you won't be able to function. Don't think abut it. You'll be stuck in a rut for days. You know what happened last time you focused on that,_ I mentally admonished myself.

We got back to the big white house, and Alice pulled into the garage. Jasper was waiting for her. I could feel his emotions. He obviously didn't trust me completely. I didn't mind; it was understandable. After all, I did have a fairly dangerous air about me. I'd been told that before on several occasions…_no, don't think about that right now. You need to function. No dwelling on the past._

We got out of the gorgeous car and lugged our bags out. Emmett was in the room inside when we walked in.

"_Holy crap!_" he screeched. "Floating shopping bags!"

Rosalie rolled her eyes and smacked him. "You idiot. It's Alice. We've been over this so many times already."

"Yeah, Em, shopping bags don't float…they roll on the ground when they want to go places," Alice informed him.

"Really?" His eyes got big as she fed him this information. She nodded in affirmation. "_Wow!_ That's crazy! You should show me!"

"I can't show you. They only do it when they want to run away. And they make sure no one is around."

Emmett looked devastated. "But I _wanna see them roll!_" he wailed.

"Well, you have to be really, really quiet and sit still for a long time. They have to think you're not there."

His face brightened. "Help me, Alice! I wanna see them!"

"Okay…Rose? You wanna come help me set him up?" Alice looked at her adopted sister.

She nodded and smirked. _My husband is such an idiot. He is really hot though, so it makes up for a lot…_

I had to work to contain my laughter as this scene played out. Emmett was obviously the gullible type. He followed along as they led him to the other room, Alice's arms full of shopping bags.

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**A/N Sorry if it's a bit shorter than the other chapter. I wanted to get it out. I hope you like it! Review, review, review! I really appreciate opinions! I will incorporate good ideas, if they fit my story line...I need filler!** **Should I do more wacky Emmett stuff? That seems to be a pretty popular aspect of stories, so I think I'll keep that up a bit...Let me know what you think!**


	3. AN

**A/N**

**Okay, I had to write an A/N because I need to apologize for my mistake in uploading the wrong chapter…it's fixed now. Thanks jeasterl for letting me know! I'm fairly new to this, so I added the wrong doc, but I've got it figured out now. Sorry!**


	4. Werewolves

**Dang, I haven't updated this one in about a million years…but I got a review from ****Akagekkou Maslyn ****saying I should continue! So I shall. Because it is a fun story.**

I stood, looking out the window, wondering about what I was going to do. I had given it some thought, and though no one had approached me with it yet, I had read in their minds that they wanted me to stay. I knew if I did, I would most likely be tying myself down for at least ten years. I could see that the Cullens were very stationary; unlike other vampires. Our kind was normally nomadic…I had become like that after—well, I had become like that. It was a good life and allowed us to hunt as much as we wanted to. I had enjoyed it, even if it got old every now and then. Everything did. I was sure that this life did too, sometimes. I had to think about it. Edward had given me some space, knowing that I knew that they wanted me here. I was glad for this. I wasn't sure if I wanted to make a commitment. The last time I had…

I wasn't getting any further like this. I needed to do something.

_No, you don't. You need to stay here. You need to meet the pack. _Ugh. Edward was in my head again. _Sorry. But Renesmee would appreciate it._ It was so tempting to just be harsh and say "suck it up", but I couldn't do that. Not after they had been so kind to me. I hadn't lost my softness, even though I knew exactly how to hide it most of the time. I walked to the living room, trying not to look as though I was gagging. The smell was awful. I ignored it, though, and toughed it out.

The wolves—well, they didn't _look_ like wolves right then—were sitting in the living room, looking a bit tense. They knew a new vampire was there. There were four males and a female. I didn't recognize any of them.

Carlisle cleared his throat, a habit he had picked up since he was pretending to be a human. "This is Mikayla. She's staying with us for a while."

The male who looked like the leader spoke up. "Hi. I'm Jacob. This is Seth, Embry, Quil, and Leah."

I nodded. "So you imprinted on Renesmee?"

He nodded as well. "Yes." He looked over at her with love and adoration clear on his features. It was a similar expression to the one Edward used with Bella. I had to keep from rolling my eyes. Edward snorted, just loud enough for my vampire ears to detect.

I stood there slightly awkwardly, not sure what to say now. I had never met a werewolf before, and I had been nomadic for so long, usual pleasantries took some getting used to.

Carlisle realized what was happening, thankfully before it go too awkward. "So what have you been up to lately, Jacob? I haven't seen you in a few days."

"Oh, we were running patrol…Sam told us that there was a vampire that he had never seen before around here. He directed her to your place — Oh, that must have been you, Mikayla."

I nodded, staying silent. I wasn't in the mood for small talk. I gave a mental shrug though, when I realized I would have to get used to it, at least a little, if I was considering going to high school with Nessie. I had to pay attention and contribute to the conversation. "Yeah, that's right." _Oh, yeah, real smooth. That wasn't awkward at all, now was it? _I berated myself.

They didn't seem to notice. Jacob continued talking with Carlisle, and Edward joined in every now and then. I was glad that I wasn't expected to talk much. It would have been hard for me. I nodded, and smiled in all the right places, and I was paying attention, but I couldn't talk. And it had nothing to do with the fact that there were five werewolves sitting across the room from me. _Okay, maybe it does a bit,_ I told myself. But it was more than that. I wondered how I was going to deal with going to a public school. I knew my grades would be impeccable; living as long as we did did that to you. I shrugged mentally again. It didn't matter right now.

"So, Mikayla, where did you live before?" One of the werewolves was looking at me. I was pretty sure his name was Embry.

"Um, here and there. I've kind of just been a roamer for the past while." My explanation was scanty, but he seemed to accept it.

"So you think you're gonna stick around here for a while?"

I shrugged, this time physically. "I might. I'm not sure. Renesmee's trying to convince me to. She wants me to go to high school with her."

Jacob laughed. "Really, Nessie?"

Nessie grinned. "Well, I think it would be awesome."

I smiled too. "Well, we'll see about the whole thing. I don't want to eat any of your classmates."

The female werewolf, obviously Leah, made a face at my ease at mentioning vampires' less endearing qualities.

Nessie smiled again. "I don't think you would."

"Well, we don't really want to chance it immediately, do we?"

Jacob laughed, but it sounded slightly strained. Using Edward's ability, I noticed that none of the werewolves were quite cool with me going to the school till we were sure I could behave myself. "No, we wouldn't want to do that."

Nessie shook her head. "I meant when you're ready."

"I know." I said. "It's not like I haven't been around humans before."

Edward eyed me. "Really?"

_Oh, crap_. I had to stop thinking about that.

_Hmm,_ Edward thought. He was obviously curious about my past. _Yes, quite. When do I get to hear about it?_

_Not till I'm ready._

_A secret, huh?_

_Exactly._

The wolves were watching our silent interaction. They had noticed, even though it had been very brief. _They're very observant, aren't they?_

_Yeah, that's for sure. They don't miss much._

Hmm. Edward really wasn't a bad guy. We could be friends, I was sure.

_Yes, I think so too._ This could get annoying. Maybe I could use Bella's shield for a change…hadn't tried that out yet…

Edward couldn't keep from snorting.

_Oh, I amuse you, huh? Hm._

_Yes, you do, actually. I find you quite amusing._

_Hm. I wonder what Bella would have to say about that?_

_There's nothing wrong with it._

_No, of course not. _I shrugged. I had never really been interested in finding a mate. Love was overrated.

_Really? It's the most amazing thing I've ever experienced._

I rolled my eyes. That's what they all say…and they all look like absolute idiots. I found Bella's gift, and began to use it, thankful for the safety from prying minds.

The wolves continued to watch us. Seth, obviously the youngest spoke up. "What the heck are you guys doing?"

Edward laughed. "I told you about her ability, didn't I?"

"Oh, right…so she's reading your mind and you're reading hers?"

"Well, until she decided to use Bella's." Edward laughed again.

I couldn't help smiling. These people, or vampires, or werewolves, or monsters, or whatever you wanted to call them, were great. I was pleased that I had found them.

Seth smiled at me. He was obviously not uncomfortable being around vampires. I smiled at him, and he smiled back. He looked like a nice kid…I wondered just how old he was. I decided to find out.

"So, how old are you guys?" I asked them.

Jacob spoke up first. "Embry, Quil, and I are twenty-one."

"I'm twenty-seven," said Leah.

"Twenty," answered Seth. They were all so young. "How about you?" he asked the inevitable question.

"Well, older than any of you. That's for sure."

"How much older?" asked Leah, curious. Another inevitable question.

"Well, much older than all of you wolves combined."

Their eyes widened. She watched as they attempted the mental math.

"One hundred ten?" Quil ventured a guess.

I laughed. "Much, much, much older."

"Older than me?" Carlisle asked.

"Yes. Quite a bit."

Carlisle raised his eyebrows.

_Yeah, you don't know anything yet._

**So, was it worth the wait? I sure hope so…let me know what you thought of it. Review! **


	5. Decisions, Decisions

**A/N: Yes, I am a failure. A complete and utter failure as an author. I deserve to be gnawed on by a pack of werewolves. And then drained by a coven of vampires. And then hung up on the wall of Volturi castle. Like, I said, I'm a failure. So I'm sorry. I've just been beyond busy. I should be a vampire, because at least then I would have superhuman speed and reading comprehension on my side. As well as some serious awesomeness. Yeah, but I'm not. So I don't. Sucks, huh? College courses are some seriously tough crap! So anyway, I'm going to do my best to keep up now. I'll try to update more frequently, but quite honestly, I can't make any promises. My life is so ridiculously wacky right now. If I were more prone to stress, my head would be spinning. I got my vampire-cool on, though, so it's all good. I love all my readers who are willing to put up with my weirdness. So R&R! I love all my readers! (not that I have many, but still…) **

I gazed at the wall, wondering what I was getting myself into. This couldn't be good, but I couldn't help myself. I had been a nomad for so long that it would be a definite struggle. Hunting animals was difficult too. Humans were so much more satisfying. But I had to try. I was the sort who had to challenge myself to feel like life was worthwhile. My nomadic lifestyle had been a long hiatus from my previous lifestyle. _No dwelling. You know better than that._

Edward walked into the room and saw me staring at the blank wall. I had decided to use Bella's ability, which helped. I could hear thoughts, but could rest assured that my thoughts were safe for a change. Safety was a strange, new feeling. I had never realized how insecure I had always felt until now, with the security and comfort of the Cullen's life beckoning to me. It was tempting, I had to admit. It would come with its own struggles, but struggles were a daily occurrence for me. _Public school. Feed on animals. Deal with werewolves on a daily basis. Can I do it, or am I asking too much of myself?_ I glanced at Edward finally.

"Hm?"

He shook his head, silently. After another moment's silence, he spoke. "What are you thinking?"

I shrugged. "I'm not sure. I keep going back and forth. Stay or go. Old or new. Nomad or part of a family. The choice may seem easy to you, but I assure you, it's more complicated than it seems on the surface."

"It's not simple on the surface."

"It's less simple than it looks."

"Must be pretty complicated then, hm?" It could have been a joke. But it wasn't. He was serious.

"You have no idea." I glared at the wall moodily again.

"You should go hunting. It may help get your mind off this. Jacob and Nessie are outside."

I rolled my eyes. "Hunting. It's not the same. I never feel full." I got to my feet. "But I'll go. It might help me get my priorities straight." Once outside, I sniffed the air and ran to where Jacob was playing with Nessie. I had met the wolves the day after the shopping trip, about two weeks ago. I got along fairly well with them, but they still didn't trust me. The only ones who did completely were Carlisle, Edward, and Nessie.

"Mikki!" Nessie exclaimed. She had given me a nickname fairly quickly. I had never been called Mikki before. I smiled slightly.

"Hey Mikayla. "Jacob raised a hand in greeting. He may not trust me, but he had to deal with me, since his imprint had grown so attached to me. If I ended up leaving, I would be glad for my lack of emotional attachments. _Except…no. Stop._ I smiled at him as well.

"Want to hunt?" I asked them and they nodded in affirmation. "Great." I put up a cheerful front, not letting on to my inner turmoil. The annoying part of leaving the house was that I no longer had Edward's or Bella's abilities. I shrugged mentally and started walking toward the forest without checking to see if Nessie and Jake were following. _What am I going to do?_ I sighed, but put a grin back on my face when Nessie said my name.

"Mikki, what do we wanna hunt today?"

I shrugged. "Whatever you want. I'm not picky." _Biggest lie of the century._ I sighed again.

"How about bears or something?"

I shrugged again. "Sure. Sounds good." _Sure._ I glanced at Nessie. Her bronze hair was gorgeous. It fell in waves down her back, long and luxurious. Her chocolate eyes were deep and dark. Especially in contrast with me, she was practically a goddess. Jacob noticed my staring. He must have mistaken it for hunger, because he growled. Even in human form, a werewolf growl is intimidating. I wouldn't let him see that though. "I'm not going to eat your girlfriend, wolfy."

He glared at me. I wasn't making an friends here, that much was sure.

Nessie had gone on ahead, and turned around. "You guys are so slow!"

I picked up the pace silently. Jacob still had his eyes on me and I smiled at him, a dark, menacing smile, almost baring my teeth. He growled again.

"Stop fighting, guys!" Nessie exclaimed. "You're like little kids!"

I forced a laugh. Thankfully I had a lot of practice faking emotions, so it seemed real enough. _Could I really deal with this wolf? If I stay, it's not just for a month._ This decision was not getting easier with this hunt.

After a few hours, we had filled our stomachs with blood, and Jacob had eaten his fill of meat. I had watched him in distaste as he tore into the carcasses of the animals Nessie and I brought down.

We returned to the house, Jacob and Nessie satisfied, me less so. I was still moody and escaped to what had become my room. It had been Edward's, but when he and Bella had gotten married and moved into the cottage, he hadn't needed it anymore. I searched mentally for Bella's ability, but she wasn't in range. I sat for a few hours, but couldn't take it, so I got up and went downstairs. Emmett and Jasper were watching TV so I sat on the couch with them. Emmett patted me on the head and I snarled at him. They both laughed and then continued watching the game. I tried to watch, but got bored.

"Mikayla!" Esme called. I got up and ran to the kitchen.

"Yes?"

"Would you like to register for classes tomorrow? That's registration day at the high school."

I gulped. _I wasn't ready for this._ I tried to force words, but they got stuck. _Weird. I'm usually so eloquent._ "Ah — uh — I mean…Yes. I do." There. My final decision. I was stuck here, for a school year at least. I owed Nessie that much. I could deal. One day at a time. I sighed again. There went my freedom. But what was freedom if it wasn't enjoyable? It was pointless, that's what.

Esme smiled widely. "Excellent. I'm so glad you want to stay with us."

I smiled back, but had to get out. I walked out of the house. As soon as I was outside, I took off running. Fast. After about two or three hours, I stopped and stood dead still. _My life is now…_ I didn't know. That was the hard part. I had always been relatively certain of what life would hold for me, but now my foundation was shaken. School. I had never been to a modern American school. I had never actually _been_ to school before. And tomorrow was registration day. That meant picture day. It also meant the day that I would be shoved into a small area with hundreds of kids. Defenseless kids who's lives were so easily taken from them. I had killed teens before. It wasn't hard at all. But what would the Cullens think if I massacred the entire school? At that point, I would have to take out all the witnesses. The Cullens would have to go into hiding indefinitely. I couldn't let that happen. I needed something satisfying before tomorrow. But what would they say if I did? If I hunted their taboo, human? It would crush Nessie. Jacob would feel justified in thinking that I wasn't trustworthy. Was I really? I was a monster. I hadn't always been one though. Once, a long time ago, I had been human too. I had been taught to value human life. Everything was so much more complicated now. I hadn't respected any rules or values in so long. This would be a complete 360 for me. Could I do it? I had to. There was nothing else to it. I would be a Cullen for a school year. Or longer if I decided to. _Start with a school year. Take it from there._ I could do that much.

I ran back to the house late that night. Edward and Bella were in the house with the rest of the family.

Alice grinned when she saw me. "Hey there, high schooler!'

I smiled. I was still worried, but I wasn't at war with myself anymore. "Hey, old lady. Tell me my relation to you guys."

Carlisle chuckled. "You are Esme's and my new adopted daughter. You have no relation to the rest. You're Nessie's new cousin."

I nodded, unsure of the connections he was making, but they had worked for the Cullens and the Hales as long as they had been there. "So I'm Mikayla Cullen."

Carlisle nodded. "Exactly."

"Alright. Sounds good." I grinned, starting to feel a bit more enthusiastic. I could do this. "Is Nessie still up?" Edward shook his head. "Okay. Alice, you wanna help me choose my outfit for tomorrow?" Her grin was worth everything.

She took my hand and literally dragged me up the stairs to my room. She threw the to my wardrobe open. We had gone shopping again and my closet was almost full. The majority of it was still black but there was more than just black jeans and t-shirts. She pulled a pair of black skinnies with chains out and grimaced at them. "Well, they're you anyway." She tossed them on a chair and turned back to the closet. Then she pulled out a top that I didn't know I had. It was black, but was lacy. It looked kind of like a corset, but had capped sleeves and didn't look like underwear.

I smiled. "Perfect."

Alice shook her head. "They'll do." Then she dug in the pile of shoes and pulled out a pair of knee-hi monochrome black Converse. She threw it all on me and stepped back to admire her handiwork. She nodded. "Well, you look like you. We'll have Rose do your makeup. Rose."

Rosalie appeared at the door. "Makeup?" She smiled.

Alice nodded. "She's wearing this."

Rose grinned. "Alright. Step into my office."

I did as she said and looked at my reflection. I looked serene, but that came from lots of practice. Rose began working on my face, making my dark red eyes look bigger. "Should I wear contacts tomorrow?"

Rose considered. "Probably. Even though your eyes are getting more dull, they're still pretty red. Even a human would notice." I smiled at that.

After my face was made up, she started on my hair. "You have so many layers," she murmured. After a little while, it was done. My hair looked wild and messy, but very styled. I smiled in approval.

"Nice. Thanks, Rose."

She smile back and looked at my reflection as well. "You're very pretty."

I glanced down for an instant. "Thanks."

Alice grinned. "Ready for school," she declared.

The next morning, Nessie came to the house to get me and Esme. "Mikki! Grandma Esme! We're ready to go!" Esme and I went to the door.

"Alright, Nessie," Esme said, smiling. "Let's go. Are your parents ready?" At her nod, we went outside and got into Carlisle's black Mercedes. I stared at my hands, stone-still. I wasn't a huge fan of cars, and sitting still was making me slightly nervous.

We reached the school fairly quickly, thanks to Esme's fast driving. I got out of the car and stared at the building. Thankfully today was cloudy, like it usually is in Forks. So many humans…But I had to be able to handle it. Edward, Bella, and Nessie were getting out of the Volvo next to us. Bella smiled at me. I returned the smile, but was more reserved. Esme put her hand on my shoulder and led me into the building. Once inside, I looked around some more. I registered for classes. I was going to be a junior. I couldn't really pass as fifteen. I got my yearbook picture taken. It was as good a picture as any that I had ever had. I didn't really care. If I had been able to, I would have been sweating. Enclosed spaces, lots of people…it wasn't exactly my cup of tea. _Get over yourself. You're tough, and you've been under more pressure than this before._ I felt eyes on me. Everyone was staring; I had to admit, it was getting awkward. I turned my gaze on a pair of girls. Total preps. Totally not my scene. Not that I had much of a scene.

After registration, we went back to the Cullens. What the heck was I getting myself into?

**A/N: So yeah. Reviews seriously make me happy. And encourage me to write. So…let's view this as a…proof? I don't remember. It's Saturday. My brain doesn't function well on the weekends. Reviews - encourage me to write more - when I write more, I update more - when I update more, you get to read more. Logical, no? **

**And besides. Reviews will earn you virtual sugary goodness. **


	6. Not a People Person

**A/N Hey! See, I updated pretty quick. No back-story this chapter…it's actually mostly filler. But parts of it are necessary. You'll see.**

**Sadly, I don't own Twilight, or any of the characters in it. But I own Mikki, and she makes me happy. Is that weird? Yeah. Oh well.**

School was going to be Hell. I was not looking forward to it. I was supposed to go this morning. _Crap. Crap crap crap._

Edward chuckled at me. I rolled my eyes. _Don't worry, school's not so bad._

_I don't care; I'm still not looking forward to it._ I glared at the TV screen. Emmett was watching something really random. He was laughing every now and then.

Bella walked in and I immediately put her shield ability to good use. _Ha. Take that, Edward._ I smirked at him.

"Hey, Mikki, it's about time to head over to school. I'm driving you right?"

I nodded. I didn't have my license yet, just my permit. I had never had a need for a car before, so there had been no need to learn how to drive.

"Okay, well let's head out, I guess." Bella wasn't as crazy a driver as Alice or Edward, so she left a bit earlier than either of them would have. Of course, the craziest driver in the Cullen family was Rosalie.

I walked to the car slowly. Well, slowly for a vampire. Nessie ran up behind me. "Mikki! We're going to school!" I nodded and gave her a funny look.

"You're excited?"

"Can you tell?" Nessie was practically bouncing around.

"Hardly. But I don't really understand why."

"Are you worried?" she asked, looking alarmed.

I shrugged. "Not worried. That's not the right word. Just…" I wasn't really sure how to finish my thought.

Bella smiled. "I know how you feel. I was one of the most awkward kids at school when I went. I hated gym. Not that you'll have the same problems as I did. After all, I was a klutz. I don't think I've ever seen a klutzy vampire."

Emmett walked in and grinned. "Of course, if any vampire had the ability to be a klutz, it would be Bella."

Bella rolled her eyes. I heard Jasper laugh from the next room.

"Mo-om! We need to go now!" Nessie whined.

"Alright, alright, let's head out."

"Finally," Nessie sighed.

"Renesmee, don't be rude to your mother," Edward called from the kitchen.

"Yes, Dad." She rolled her eyes.

"Don't be rude to me either."

"Yes, Dad." She refrained from rolling her eyes.

We left fairly soon after that, and arrived at the school faster than I really wanted to get there.

Forks High School was a relatively small school with a relatively small number of kids. I stared at it, slightly nervous now. If I had been human, I would have had butterflies. I was surprised that I could remember what the felt like.

"Yay! We're here!" Nessie sang out. I frowned, not exactly as happy as she seemed.

"Whoo," I half-heartedly cheered, slightly regretting my decision to stick around.

"Come on, Mikki. It'll be fun! You get to meet new people!" Nessie grinned and jumped out of the Volvo.

_Cause I'm such a people-person._ I rolled my eyes and followed her. We walked to the entrance of the school together, each of us full of different emotions. As soon as we were through the doors, we got looks. Nessie definitely had some admiring looks directed her way. I didn't try to decipher the ones I got. Mostly it seemed like people were intimidated. Maybe a bit weirded out as well. Yeah, they could look all they wanted.

I looked at my schedule and looked for my first period class. English. Well, at least it was a subject I was good at. I was one of the first people in the classroom, so I found a seat in the back.

Finally lunch came around, and I was hardly looking forward to that either. I would have to choke down human food. _Or I could just be dieting. Not that I need it. Maybe I'm anorexic,_ I mused. That could work.

I found a table and waited for Nessie. I heard her before I saw her, giggling and laughing with some other people. I looked up and saw that she was surrounded by people of both genders. The guys were definitely checking her out. I wondered what Jake would say if he knew.

"Hey, Mikki! Can we sit here?" Nessie asked me. I nodded and looked at one of the girls she was with. She was eyeing me with a definite dislike. Probably one of those chicks who totally lives a stereotype. Stupid.

I scooted over so Nessie could sit next to me, and listened to them chatter all through lunch period. I didn't really mind. I was glad she was making friends. I just wasn't really a people-person. I sat and sketched in my notebook and listened to Nessie and her new friends. They seemed nice enough, even if they weren't my type. _Do I even have a type? Hm. I guess dead is my type._ I snorted quietly, and felt eyes on me. I looked up and met the gaze of a boy who looked to be about 15. He had dark eyes that looked almost black, and dark blonde hair that fell almost in front of one eye. I focused on his eyes and he stared back. He looked away first, but glanced back at me every now and then. I couldn't help wishing for Edward right then. It would be extremely handy – and interesting – to know what he was thinking. I glanced back at my notebook. The drawing I was working on was half-finished. It was of an angel. I had fascinated with angels for years. And that was an understatement. They made me jealous. They could leave the earth. They lived in Heaven. Me? I was stuck here forever, doomed to roam the earth until Armageddon. The angel had one wing, two arms, and no legs. His face wasn't there either…just an empty oval. Like me. Empty.

This was a depressing topic to think about. _Switch, _I ordered myself, and glanced back at the boy. He was watching me. _Weird._ I went back to staring at my drawing, but felt myself getting distracted. I lifted my head and looked at him. Raising my eyebrows, I waited for him to do something. I was aware that Nessie had glanced over at my sudden movement, but I didn't care.

She noticed the two of us having a stare-off and smiled. "Oh, Mikki. Let me introduce you to my new friends." She nodded at the girl who had glared at me. "Karen, this is my adopted cousin, Mikki." She looked at one of the boys. "Tim, Mikki." She went around the table and I was introduced to Leslie, Sammy, and Luke. Then she looked at the boy with the black eyes. "Mikki, this is Evan." His lips turned up into a smile.

I nodded at him, and smiled slightly as well. He seemed like a shy kid. He looked like he wanted to talk though. I nudged Nessie. "I'm gonna go walk around. I'm bored."

She nodded and grinned. "Okay, have fun!"

Just as I expected, Evan got up soon after and followed me. I had found a corner and was leaning against the wall, in an effort to look human. I watched him as he approached me.

"Hi," he said shyly.

"Hello. Evan, right?" Gotta keep up appearances. I'm not really that forgetful.

He nodded. "You like to draw?"

"Yeah. You?"

"Sometimes. I'm not real good at it, but I like it." He looked down.

"I've had a lot of practice. You should show me yours sometime." I could be friendly when I wanted to.

He glanced back at my eyes. "Really? They're nothing special…"

I shrugged. "So? Mine aren't real original. Just angels."

"You draw angels?"

I nodded.

"Angels are cool. I draw them sometimes."

I nodded. "See? You should show me sometime."

Just then, the bell rang for sixth period, so we had to leave. Right before I walked away, Evan said to me: "Talk to you tomorrow? I'll bring some of my stuff." I nodded and walked off.

**A/N Ok, well, sort of a short filler chapter. I think I'll bring her history up next chapter. It will happen! Don't worry. Mikki just has to be willing to explain, and to be willing, she has to be comfortable with the Cullens. She's getting there!**

**Don't forget to review! They seriously make writing much better, because then I know you guys are reading it and enjoying it. So just press the little button and write a couple words of encouragement/criticism. Let me know what you think!**


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